Member of the National Health Commission in Dominica and former President of Dominica, His Excellency Eluid Williams, has said that plans are in place to review systems and procedures at the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital.
He said a Hospital Authority Bill for the establishment of a Chief Executive Officer is expected to go to Parliament for debate in September.
“We also, and very importantly, have been given the responsibility to review systems and procedures at the hospital and in particular the governance structure at the hospital and on that we have done a lot of work because the fundamental problem at the hospital today is the absence of clear leadership and that is not necessary blaming anyone; it is just a fact of life,” Williams said.
He said the primary objective of the commission is to take a look at what is happening elsewhere in the world so that hospitals are managed by a board whereby responsibility for the day-to-day operation and for policy development is obtained much closer to the hospital where it’s actually happening.
“And for that to happen and to happen well, the budget that is normally approved by the government is passed on to a hospital board which will have responsibility for managing,” Williams stated.
Meantime, the former president made it clear that the mandate of the National Health Commission does not include the privatization of any hospital.
“The hospital is referred to as a national hospital financed by the government, so at no point any work we have done or we have tried to convey in any way that the hospital is going to be privatized,” Williams stressed. “In fact, it can’t be because it is Dominica’s hospital.”
The person selected to be CEO of this revamped national hospital should be competent and professional, with the required relevant knowledge and experience to run a major hospital. The individual should not display any political biases or behaviours and be able to work hard and with just about anyone.
This position should not be portrayed as a status symbol but as a job for a hardworking medical professional who is able to make tough personal sacrifices, whenever necessary, to get the job done.
Change the name of the hospital while y’all at it
their attitude towards patience should also be addressed. The nurses have a dont care attitude. They need to be more compassionate and deliver a nursing care to ill patients. They appear to be just there for the money. Nursing is caring it is not a profession which require an arrogant attitude. No need for a fancy building without fancy attitudes.
Oh boy I wonder if they will give the CEO position to the nurse who worked in the health system for 22 years before migrating to do her doctoral degree and now wants to return to give service to her country. PM said that the selection for that position will be transparent. Lets see.